Recommendations towards cheap wireless 802.11b router

[Sensor]

I was avoiding purchasing an 802.11b access point due to the high cost, but just lately I realized I needed to get a router to share my broadband connection. 802.11b support isn't much more additionally, and so I've been reading reviews at practicallynetworkeddotcom to find one that suits my needs: Cheap and effective. Best I can find to my needs is the SMC Barricade that's similar to D'Link's 713.

Is there anything cheaper that offers most of the same options? And, you know what else scared me? What if someone (Say, a neighbor) had a wireless lan card. Could they use my broadband connection without me knowing? What could I do to stop that?

I'm very new to this whole wireless internet thing. Please be careful not to use big-words in any advice. Thanks.

 

[tippmann]

The Linksys and SMC seem to be the cheaper boxes in the wireless world..

About the neighborhood.... Unless you have a hacker next door you shouldnt have a problem with it.... It is possible that some one can get the IP address, but not likely... 100 feet or less....

 

[JackMDS]

The 802.11b standard include wep (wireless encryption protocol).

Router that is complying with this standard has wep setup as part of the communication between the components.

For more: http://www.practicallynetworked.com/support/mixed_wep.htm


For review of the Wireless barricade: http://www.winmag.com/columns/broadband/2001/02.htm#ledrevu


Intel, SMC, Linksys, and D-link (and others), new wireless routers are wep equipped

 

[Windogg]

You can also restrict access to unfamiliar NIC. My WAP will only recognize the MAC addresses of card that I specify.

Windogg

 

[Sensor]

I see. The SMC looks like a good idea, and it'd be nice if I could restricted access. Still, 280 for the router and 100 for the PC Card is expensive. I wonder if it'd be cheaper to buy a Router and Access Point seperately?

 

[WoundedWallet]

JackMDS, I think I read somewhere that the Linksys is wide open, and anybody could piggyback on your connection. Am I wrong?

 

[JackMDS]

Buying Wave Point and Router will not save (Router are ~100, Wave points ~200). The staff is new, availability limited so prices are High. As usual in this (Electronic) business in few months, prices will be half of what they are now.

The Linksys does have wep, but the setting is confusing.

http://www.practicallynetworked.com/reviews/linksys_wpc11.asp#128bit

 

[WoundedWallet]

Nice link, thanks!